Maintaining a clean air environment can be difficult when you’re moving to a new home or if you’re renting a new space every few years. But there are simple ways to ensure your respiratory well being, and there are things you can do to improve your home’s overall air quality.
Potential toxins in your home
Understanding what may be harmful within your apartment is an important first step. From cleaning products to invisible gasses lurking behind the walls, there are several areas to pay close attention to.
A simple first step is ensuring the cleaning products you use aren’t endangering your health. Products like air fresheners, oven cleaners and detergent may be causing unknown harm. Using these products may release carcinogenic chemicals known as VOCs, or volatile organic compounds.
Instead of buying these products off the shelf, there are several DIY recipes that are just as effective in cleaning different areas of your home. If time is an issue, do research on in-store products that are eco-friendly.
Carbon monoxide
There are several toxic, invisible gases that could be lurking in the air around you. Because we can’t see the problem, we may often overlook it. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, so it can be challenging to detect if the proper tools are not in place.
The danger of carbon monoxide can arise due to leaking furnaces, stoves and even fireplaces. When carbon monoxide, or CO, builds up over time, it can lead to extreme illness and death.
Everyone should monitor CO levels by using a carbon monoxide detector or by hiring a professional to test the levels of gas in the space. Additionally, make sure your home or apartment has proper ventilation if you have any gas appliances, and have heating systems, water heaters and any other appliances inspected annually.
If you live in an apartment where you can’t do this, make sure your landlord is taking these steps. Although you may not own the property, it’s your right to make sure you’re living in a safe environment and that your property staff is taking the proper precautions, as well.
Lead paint
If you live in an older apartment complex, the existence of lead paint is something you want to check on. Lead paint was banned in 1978 because it was the leading cause of lead poisoning, but if you live in an old building that hasn’t been renovated, lead paint could still be present on the walls or the exterior.
It’s not harmful simply existing on the walls, but it becomes extremely toxic during the removal process. When paint is scraped, sanded or even chips, paint particles will become airborne and can be inhaled, becoming a danger to your health over time.
The easiest solution to staying safe from dangerous exposure is not handling the removal on your own. If you live in an apartment, this is the responsibility of the landlord or property owner.
Many states require lead tests by law, often prohibiting families with young children occupancy within a space that has risky levels of lead paint. If your building is under renovation, it’s important to learn about what’s being done to protect you from lead paint or any other toxins that hide within dust and debris. Lead can easily spread to other parts of your home and into the soil outside if the proper precautions aren’t taken.
Asbestos
Similar to the presence of lead, if you live in an older building you may want to ask your landlord about whether an asbestos inspection has ever been done. If a building was built before 1980, there’s a chance asbestos was used in the construction process.
Asbestos is a fibrous toxin that can be found in the insulation, foundation and even the flooring and pipes of a building. Asbestos is only harmful when it’s been disturbed, such as an unexpected hole in the wall.
If asbestos is present in a space, it should be removed to ensure the health and safety of residents within a building. This toxin was used for many years because of its durability and resistance to heat. Although it has several useful building properties, time and science have proven it to be extremely harmful to our health.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and the only known cause of a rare cancer called mesothelioma. Because this cancer may not present itself for 10 to 50 years after exposure, patients and doctors have a hard time diagnosing this disease early and linking it back to the initial exposure site. That’s why it’s important to know now if it is in your building, what can be done to protect yourself and how to have it safely removed.
You should not try to dispose of it yourself, nor is it ever your responsibility as a renter. If you’re concerned asbestos may be present, contact your property management to see if abatement has been done.
Obtaining clean air at home
According to the American Lung Association, indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside. There are a number of ways you can work to make sure the air within your home or apartment isn’t negatively affecting your health.
If you’re a renter, it may feel as if you have no control over your environment or the potential threats that may be surrounding you, but there are ways you can make an impact on your own. Some have already been listed, such as making your own cleaning products and purchasing a carbon monoxide detector, but it’s also important to monitor other factors such as radon levels and to consistently clean your air conditioning unit.
A simple step towards having clean air is to make sure you have proper ventilation. Spaces with a high moisture level can increase the likelihood of mold, so installing a dehumidifier is a wise investment. As a rule of thumb, try to keep the humidity level below 50 percent.
If your concerns are high, do research when looking for a new apartment. Find a home that has been built within the past 20 years, and is less likely to have issues within the walls such as asbestos or lead paint. Understanding the air around you is vital in leading a healthy life. First and foremost, educate yourself on the air in your space and what you can do to better it.
